Mechanical shoe form



May 26, 1925.

F. E. COMSTOCK MECHANICAL SHOE FORM Filed March 2, 1922 In c Patented May 26, 1925.

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FREDERCK E. COMISTCCK, 0l? VALPARAISO, INDIANA., ASSIGNGR OF 0MB-.HALF T0 GEORGE LA. FQRCE, @if VALPARASQ, .T .NDIANA.

MECHANICAL SHOE FORM.

Application niet nach, 2, 192e. serial no. 549,424..

lTo all w/zfofm/ it'mai/ concern.' v e Be it known thatl, FREDERICK E. Coars'rocn, a citizen of the'United States, residing at Valparaiso, inthe county of Porter 5 and State of indiana, have invented certain new and useful improvements in Meehan ical Shoe Forms, of which the following is a specification. Y

My invention relates to improvements in mechanical shoe forms and it more especially comprises the features pointed out in the annexed claims.

The purpose of my invention is to provide a mechanical shoeform that shall combine the advantages of pneumaticallyv controlled forms with the added advantage of specifically controllingV the pressure within the shoe at the points most desired; that retains the shape of each manufacturers style of shoes instead of destroying the same and bringing theshape of all` shoes 'to one common standard; that provides adjustable means for holding the shoe Vdistended under definite i controllable conditions; and that may be applied to existing` forms of lasts.`

whether these represent individual or manufarturers shapes.

with des@ and other ends in new 1- illustrate v in the accompanying drawing` U such instances of Aadaptation as will disclose the broadunderlyingfeatures without limiting` myself to the specilic details shown thereon and described herein. l

.Figure 1 illustrates a sideelevation of ashoe form in assembled relation, partly in section. l

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the form with part-s brokenout showing the interior construction. n

Even though the form is shown in connection with a right hand low shoe, it is equally adaptable to left hand lasts and also toA high shoes. In the latter case kany of the available expedients shown 'in my coek pending applications, Serial Nos. 439,60013, filed January 241, 1921, and 498,856, tiled September 3, 1921,. or any other expedient may be used to hold the topdistended.

rvhe shoe 1 has enclosed therein the last` 2 which may be of wood, metal, etc., as eX- empliiied it is of wood construction. It has a forward extension 6 that projects beneath the shoe toe 3 and it has 'a' recess 7 formed on its under side in which the pressure adjusting means are located.` The twou points of a shoe at which pressure should be a plied iny order to retain the best shape of the upper, is at the inner heel position 4t andthe inner sole position ofthe toeV portion ofthe shoe at 5. llf the lasty projection 6 can be pressed upward, then the shoe part l 8 will take the shape of the last whatever variation .there may be between lasts.

Ylhis desirable result is produced by,

means of a pressure tongue 8 located within the recess 7 where it is fulcrumed on pinV 11; The forward end 9 presses against the inner sole 5, when the rear end 10 Vis drawn` upward by the adjusting screw .16 causing the pressure tongue 4to move on its fulcrum 11, `so as to lift the last projection 6 at the same time that the forward end 9 ofthe tongue is moving downwardly against the inner sole. In this way the shoe upper is distended the required` amount at the most desired lace thus retaininp` theouter shape of the shoe `to conform to the contour of the last.

VThis desirable feature is attainedv by Simply turning the thumb screw 18, by reason of the fact` Vthat its stem 16 is threaded y at the lower end` into a pivoted nut 14, to which lthe liange sides 12 of the pressure tongue 8 are pivoted on reduced ends 15. The screw 16 at its upperk end bears on washer 17, and the extreme upper end above the-knurled head 18 has a slight screw slotted projection. The. hole through thelast to accommodate screw lti'may be enlarged at the bottom end suiiicient kto allow `lateral movement of the screw as the rear end of the pressure tongue isl movedrup or down causing theV pivoted nut 14 to, in its short travel, descr'ibean arc whose center'is in the fulcrum pin l11. The pressure tongue is formed` with sides 12 to somewhat simulate a trough `or channel in cross section, the web or base having the side flanges bent upward. At the time that this bending is done, the pivotV nut 14 may be assembled with its reduced ends 15 entering the flanges 12. On the underside of the nut le, a clearance hole is formedto accommodate theproject-v ing end of the screw 16; k

In lorder that upward pressure may .be applied at the heel ofthe last, I mayprfovide the following means or any substantial equivalent thereof. Pressure applied at 4 by the plate 22 will force the rear portion of the last against the upper at about 26'-,-

Ll A

l (tu Gil and thus hold the last firmly in place. This is accomplished in the case of a wooden last by inserting a bearing tube '20 in the last, and passing through this an adjusting screw 19. rIhe lower end of the screw is threaded at 21 for engagement with threads in thc lower end of the sleeve 20. It is turned by means of the knurled thumb nut 27 attached to its upper end. This nut also has a slotted projection similar to thumb nut 18 so that when desired a screw driver may be used. The screw 19 bears 'against the heel pressure plate moving the plate downward as required against the heel portion e, while the plate is pivoted on pin 211 passing through the cars 23. A suitable slot may be cut in the bottom of the heel portion of the last to accomnfiodate the ears of the pressure plate 2Q. v The pressure tongue 8 may be held approximately central of the last transverse of the recess 7, on pin 11 by means of distance collars 13 which expedient, as well as the vuse of pivoted nut 111 and the heel pressure expedient, may be varied as desired.

It will be seen that the invention is very effective in applying controlled pressure Vto whatever parts of the shoe ,are to be emphasized for display purposes, being made in right and left hand shapes according to special makers styles. rllhe device is simple to operate, economical in manufacture and rapidly applied. y A

It is understood that the shoe will be laced over the last as though it were on the wearers foot. Also that the pressure tongue may be more or less elastic so as not toeverstress the shoe upper when the last is being adjusted. I

If desi-red, the Alniurled thumb screws 18 and Q7 may be substituted by wing nuts, or they may have ordinary slotted ends which are buried in suitable recesses formed around the screws within the last topso as not to be visible. It is understood that I do not limit myself to the relation shown of the fulcrum 11 and the adjusting screw 16, as these, under certain circumstances, may :be transposed. To make iteasy to in sert the form into high shoes, I may slot the toe 4portion l6 at Q7, shown at A Fig. 2, vso as to let the tongue 4pass into the slot as the form is inserted into the shoe.

AVilhat I claim is:

1. In shoe forms, `a specially shaped 'sin-'v gle piece last having a recess formed on the under side lengthwise thereof, a movable tongue extending from the toe portion 'of the last to near the heel portion thereof, said tongue being pivoted to the side walls of the recess, a threaded member pivoted to the toe portion of the last upward and thus press the last against the front of the shoe upper. v Y

2. In shoe forms, a single piece unitary removable last having a recess formed lengthwise thereof on `its under side, aA

tongue pivoted to the side walls of the recess so that itsfforward end projects below aid walls and the rear portion of the tongue terminating within 'the recess and above the lower contour of the last, and means positioned in the last 'adapted to raise and lower the rear end of the tongue so as to move the toe portion of the last toward or from the shoe upper.

3. In shoe forms, a single p'iece unitary removable last having a Yrecess formed lengthwise thereof on its under side, atongue pivoted to the side walls of the recess so that its forward end projects below said 'walls and the rear portion of the tongue terminating within the recess and above the lower contour of the la'st, means positioned in the last adapted to raise and lower the rear end of the tongue so as to move the toe portion of the last toward or from the shoe upper, separate pivoted means placed below the heel portion of the last, and means for moving said rmeans against the inner surface tof the shoe heel to thereby raise the last against the shoe counter.

4. In shoe forms, an individually 'shaped lastl having a lengthwise channel formed on its 'under side, a tongue pivoted in the channel so that its front end is movable away from the last vand l`the rear end is simultaneously movable toward the last with in the channel, and means for thus 'posi tively moving the tongue to cause' the forward end of the last to press against the upper.

5. In shoe forms, a unitary last having a lengthwise channel formedon its under. side extending "approximate-ily from the heel to the toe, a tongue -pivoted for movement within the channel, a separate 'plate piv` oted at the heel yportion `of the last, indejpendent adjusting means for the tongue and the plate adapted to directly press vthe `plate and the forward end 'of the tongue against the inside of the shoe sole.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

FREDERICK E. COMSTQGK. 

